28/05/2024
Yesterday saw us venture back to Castle Combe. Fortunately for us there was a scheduled practise session for the Formula Fords as such this gave an opportunity to bed in new disks and brakes in advance of the competition real. Sam ventured out onto track in the SC92 Swift at 09:10 slightly ahead of the published scheduled and built up pace gradually as the brakes came in as expected.
Qualifying
It seemed strange as this was due to start just before noon (on a normal race day we would have been done by 10:30 latest). Sam tricked to the assembly area to wait to be called, the wait was longer than expected as the previous tin top session was red flagged with 3 minutes and 10 seconds remaining. The track was cleared and fences repaired whilst we watch the skies darken.
Qualifying started the car was quick and Sam moved up to a season’s best of 4th position (1st in class) as the rain spots started, such is the nature of the Castle Combe layout that it can rain harder in some areas and less or not in others. Today was not in our favour as 7 laps in there was just a little too much rain in “Camp” corner (main one coming into the start finish straight) and following an overtake (of a car which stubbornly would not get out of the way even with blue flags) Sam locked up the rears and lost steering proceeding the the barrier. His qualifying over Sam visited the medical centre and was given the all clear. He was not so convinced about the health of the car.
To out amazement (and everyone else’s) it had been saved by the air tech fence, it needed grass clearing from the side pods and was good to go. Sadly once the qualifying session was restarted Sam’s class competitors were able to take advantage of the dry track which demoted his position to 5th and 2nd in class. Not a disaster at this point in time.
Race 1
More delays through the day, a very nasty incident which involved another tin top, and the pit lane entrance barrier led to a lengthy delay and some alterations to the racing for the rest of the days sessions (Yellow flag on that corner with no overtaking permitted).
Sam lined up and started, a surprising fast (possibly to fast) start saw another car pass him and the 4th placed driver through Avon Rise. This led to some tough racing some of it very close but happily no off track incidents.
We were extremely surprised when Sam pulled off the track into the pits on lap 7, further investigation revealed engine failure with only 3 cylinders firing. The car had to be retired from the meeting and we will be reviewing plans for the rest of the season.
To date we have had to replace, disks, pads, calibers, uprights and now an engine.
Race 2
There wasn’t one for us today. Our Castle Comber season has come to an end we will be planning for the back end of the year if at all possible but may have to resign ourselves to focus on 2025.